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Plane Truth
One second changed everything. Survival became only the beginning.
On August 17, 2008, Joe Basile was enjoying an eight-day vacation in St. Barths with the woman he loved. Then, in a moment that sounds almost impossible, an airplane struck him in the head as it was taking off.
Joe survived—but the life he woke up to was no longer the one he remembered.
After suffering a devastating brain injury, Joe was transported through several hospitals before finally reaching Columbia Hospital in New York City, where he spent six weeks in a coma. When he finally awakened, he had to learn how to walk, use his right hand, and manage everyday life again. The business he had spent years building was gone. His home had to be sold. His financial security disappeared.
But Joe's story is not simply about an extraordinary accident or everything he lost.
It is about the people who refused to give up on him.
His girlfriend, Yelena, stayed beside him through the coma, hospitals, rehabilitation, and the difficult months that followed. Friends, family, neighbors, doctors, and therapists helped him navigate a future none of them could have predicted. Their support became part of his recovery and reminded him that sometimes the smallest acts of kindness can make the greatest difference.
From his childhood in New Jersey and the lessons of a hard-working father, through building a successful business and finding love, to the accident that changed his life forever, Plane Truth follows one man's journey from an unimaginable catastrophe to a different kind of independence.
Joe still lives with the effects of his injury. He walks with a limp. His right side is slower. Some things require more effort than they once did. Yet he drives, cooks, cleans, shops, visits his mother, meets old friends, and continues living his life.
This is a story about survival, perseverance, love, loss, friendship, and learning to begin again.
Sometimes life does not return to the way it was. Sometimes the victory is learning how to live—and finding that life is still worth living.
On August 17, 2008, Joe Basile was enjoying an eight-day vacation in St. Barths with the woman he loved. Then, in a moment that sounds almost impossible, an airplane struck him in the head as it was taking off.
Joe survived—but the life he woke up to was no longer the one he remembered.
After suffering a devastating brain injury, Joe was transported through several hospitals before finally reaching Columbia Hospital in New York City, where he spent six weeks in a coma. When he finally awakened, he had to learn how to walk, use his right hand, and manage everyday life again. The business he had spent years building was gone. His home had to be sold. His financial security disappeared.
But Joe's story is not simply about an extraordinary accident or everything he lost.
It is about the people who refused to give up on him.
His girlfriend, Yelena, stayed beside him through the coma, hospitals, rehabilitation, and the difficult months that followed. Friends, family, neighbors, doctors, and therapists helped him navigate a future none of them could have predicted. Their support became part of his recovery and reminded him that sometimes the smallest acts of kindness can make the greatest difference.
From his childhood in New Jersey and the lessons of a hard-working father, through building a successful business and finding love, to the accident that changed his life forever, Plane Truth follows one man's journey from an unimaginable catastrophe to a different kind of independence.
Joe still lives with the effects of his injury. He walks with a limp. His right side is slower. Some things require more effort than they once did. Yet he drives, cooks, cleans, shops, visits his mother, meets old friends, and continues living his life.
This is a story about survival, perseverance, love, loss, friendship, and learning to begin again.
Sometimes life does not return to the way it was. Sometimes the victory is learning how to live—and finding that life is still worth living.
151 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 4, 2026
About the author
Joe Basile
14 books12 followersJoe Basile is a storyteller, author, filmmaker, podcaster, and creative communicator whose passion for weaving history, faith, mystery, and humor into compelling narratives has captivated audiences across multiple platforms. He is best known for his lead role in the HISTORY Channel documentary The Jesus Strand: A Search for DNA, where his curiosity and engaging presence helped bring an extraordinary investigation to life.
As the youngest of ten children, Joe grew up surrounded by stories. Before long, he became the keeper of those family legends, adding a little more wonder and imagination with every retelling. That love for storytelling evolved into a lifelong mission: helping people laugh, think, hope, and believe in possibilities larger than themselves.
Joe is the author of The Last Scrollkeeper, the first novel in the acclaimed Infinity Chronicles series. What began as a single story quickly became the spark that ignited a vibrant writing career. Through his novels, screenplays, podcasts, videos, and media projects, Joe explores the intersection of adventure, faith, historical intrigue, and the human experience.
Alongside his wife, Lisa, Joe produces radio programs, podcasts, films, and digital content that encourage meaningful conversations and inspire audiences around the world. Together, they have built a creative partnership centered on faith, family, and authentic storytelling.
When he’s not creating his next project, Joe enjoys spending time with his three children, who continue to inspire many of the characters, ideas, and adventures that find their way into his work. Whether through a book, a film, a live presentation, or a podcast, Joe’s goal remains the same: to tell stories that spark imagination, awaken hope, and leave people wondering, “What if it’s possible?”
And as for the millions of characters and stories that have been living in his head since childhood? Joe is still writing them down one story at a time, hoping they’ll eventually give him a little peace and quiet.
As the youngest of ten children, Joe grew up surrounded by stories. Before long, he became the keeper of those family legends, adding a little more wonder and imagination with every retelling. That love for storytelling evolved into a lifelong mission: helping people laugh, think, hope, and believe in possibilities larger than themselves.
Joe is the author of The Last Scrollkeeper, the first novel in the acclaimed Infinity Chronicles series. What began as a single story quickly became the spark that ignited a vibrant writing career. Through his novels, screenplays, podcasts, videos, and media projects, Joe explores the intersection of adventure, faith, historical intrigue, and the human experience.
Alongside his wife, Lisa, Joe produces radio programs, podcasts, films, and digital content that encourage meaningful conversations and inspire audiences around the world. Together, they have built a creative partnership centered on faith, family, and authentic storytelling.
When he’s not creating his next project, Joe enjoys spending time with his three children, who continue to inspire many of the characters, ideas, and adventures that find their way into his work. Whether through a book, a film, a live presentation, or a podcast, Joe’s goal remains the same: to tell stories that spark imagination, awaken hope, and leave people wondering, “What if it’s possible?”
And as for the millions of characters and stories that have been living in his head since childhood? Joe is still writing them down one story at a time, hoping they’ll eventually give him a little peace and quiet.
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